I'm using an AT91SAM7s256 for a radio-controlled plane related
project. I considered using a PIC but the processing power required in
this application was simply too great for a smaller microcontroller.

In comparison to PICs the AT91s are significantly more effort to get
running. I like to use the internal oscillator in the PIC so the only
external support component is a single decoupling capacitor. By
comparison the AT91SAM7S requires a crystal and associated capacitors,
plus 12 decoupling capacitors and two more capacitors and a resistor
for the PLLRC. That all adds up to quite a bit more work. For my
initial prototyping I used the MAKE controller board which has all
these bits already sorted.

Programming the AT91s is a joy. Forget expensive and awkward
programmers. Hook up the USB to the processor. Download your code. Off
you go. It doesn't get any more convenient than that.

Like Adam I also have an AT91SAM9261-based GPS project on the go.
These larger processors are only available in evil BGA packages which
makes prototyping painful. They're also not self-sufficient in terms
of RAM or FLASH so it's more like a traditional processor but with
some nice peripherals built in. On the upside when you add FLASH and
RAM these processors are large enough to run real operating systems
such as linux.

Cheers,
Zik

On 6/8/07, M. Adam Davis <stienman@gmail.com> wrote:
> I'm working on a GPS navigation system using an Atmel at91sam9261.
> LCD, touchscreen, serial, etc.
>
> I'm running Linux on it, compiled from another machine.
>
> A few gotchas (anyone know why GCC would forget about decimal points
> for printf and scanf of floating point numbers?  There's got to be an
> internationalization problem in there somewhere, but I can't find it!)
> but very interesting.
>
> Prior to this I designed a usb memory card reader using an
> at91sam7s128.  I didn't work on the code, though, only the hardware.
> http://www.rabbitsemiconductor.com/products/usb_card_reader/index.shtml
>
> -Adam
>
> On 6/7/07, wouter van ooijen <wouter@voti.nl> wrote:
> > Some fear that The List will die. So let's jump the next bandwagon: ARM
> > chips. (note: I vote that we keep the name. piclist is a well-known
> > brand.)
> >
> > Personally I think PICs are still interesting, especially the smaller
> > 14-bit core chips. It is very easy to put a 6, 8 or 14 pin PIC chip into
> > a design. One voltage, small package, choice of SMD or DIP, internal
> > oscillator, 5V. Compared to that an ARM chip (for instance an LCP2103)
> > is much more hassle. But even a small ARM chip runs circles around an
> > 18F or dsPIC.
> >
> > So, who is using what ARM chips and what for?
> >
> > I use ARM chips in a series of classes. For informatics students these
> > are the last-year LPC2106 boards with LSP, LCD, buttons, LEDs, RS232,
> > and build-in Wiggler clone. They use C++. For electronics students we
> > use the this-year boards with LPC2148, which adds USB and a PIC (!) as
> > keyboard controller (deja-vue?). They use assembler and/or C. We hacked
> > together a development environment based on PSPad, GCC and GDB/Insight.
> > Works quite well, but a little rough on some edges. I am working on a
> > realy great ARM library, which might be ready some time next year (do
> > you smell vapourware?).
> >
> > I have not yet used ARMs for my own projects, but hope to do so when a
> > new project arrives (and my library is ready).
> >
> > I sell ARM chips and Olimex ARM boards. Not in high volumes, but enough
> > to be interesting.
> >
> > So what about you?
> >
> > Wouter van Ooijen
> >
> > -- -------------------------------------------
> > Van Ooijen Technische Informatica: www.voti.nl
> > consultancy, development, PICmicro products
> > docent Hogeschool van Utrecht: www.voti.nl/hvu
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
> > View/change your membership options at
> > http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist
> >
>
>
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>
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>
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